“Nigeria Regressing Instead of Progressing – Northern CAN Criticizes FG”

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has condemned the federal government for its ineffectiveness in addressing the country’s pressing security and economic issues.

Elder Sunday Oibe, Secretary General of Northern CAN, urged the federal government to issue a public apology instead of attempting to influence religious and traditional leaders to suppress the planned nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship.

He highlighted that life in Nigeria has become increasingly unbearable due to these persistent problems.

The group called for the government to move beyond superficial solutions and implement practical measures that offer lasting relief.

Oibe said, “There is no denying the fact that life in Nigeria has become unbearable as a result of these problems. Nigerians are indeed hungry, angry, and as resilient as they have always been, they are becoming hopeless about the state of the Nigerian nation.”

The statement criticized the government’s approach to import duties on food as inadequate given the current economic climate.

Northern CAN also expressed concern about attempts to introduce religious, ethnic, and regional sentiments into the protest. Oibe warned against these divisive tactics, stressing that hunger and economic distress affect all Nigerians regardless of their background.

The statement recalled that “In January 2012, President Bola Tinubu and many of those who are in power today mobilized Nigerians to a protest tagged “Occupy Nigeria” to resist plans by former President Goodluck Jonathan to remove the subsidy on petrol. Jonathan was forced to stop it. The economic situation in Nigeria today is worse than that of the Jonathan era.

“We advise politicians to be mindful of their actions and inactions as ‘what goes around, comes around.’

“In the past eight years, corruption became an acceptable norm with thieving political officeholders flaunting their ill-gotten wealth in a flamboyant style amid mass poverty and deprivation. The masses have lost confidence in government because Nigeria seems to be moving backward instead of moving forward.”